Bangkok News

Bangkok news, politics, business, crime, and nightlife—stay updated with breaking stories, events, and expat updates from Thailand’s capital. Get the latest from The Thaiger, your trusted Bangkok news source.

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  • Bangkok’s governor says officials will discuss easing outdoor mask requirement

    Bangkok’s governor says officials will discuss easing outdoor mask requirement

    After the confusing mask policy flip-flop in Phuket, Bangkok’s new governor Chadchart Sittipunt has announced plans to discuss easing mask requirements in Thailand’s capital. Chadchart stated late this week that Bangok Metropolitan Administration will meet with public health and medical departments to discuss the outdoor mask-wearing regulation. Chadchart did not, however, specify when the meeting will happen. The governor also…

  • Don’t forget Bangkok’s first real Pride parade tomorrow

    Don’t forget Bangkok’s first real Pride parade tomorrow

    In case you didn’t know, Bangkok will hold its first real Pride parade tomorrow (Sunday), Bangkok Naruemit Pride, as a celebration of Thailand’s LGBT+ community. The parade is set to start at 4pm at Maha Uma Devi Temple, a Hindu temple sometimes called ‘Wat Khaek’ or ‘South Asian temple’ in Thai slang. The temple is located on Pan Road and…

  • MP calls House sub-committees ‘dens of money extortion’

    MP calls House sub-committees ‘dens of money extortion’

    A Democrat MP yesterday pointed the finger at closed-door meetings of House sub-committees and called them “dens of money extortion.” Rangsima Rodrasamee, Democrat MP for Samut Songkhram, insists all meetings of sub-committees vetting the 2023 budget bill, after it passes its first reading, should be televised live. The Democrat MP says broadcasting the meetings live would scrutinise how the bill…

  • Car shot by unidentified gunman on road near MBK in Bangkok

    Car shot by unidentified gunman on road near MBK in Bangkok

    A motorist is in shock today after an unidentified teenage gunman shot at him while he was driving near MBK shopping mall in Bangkok. Chawinroj Ritmangkornsook travelled from Samyan, down Phaya Thai Road, and stopped to park his white Toyota Yaris at the Rajamangala Institute of Technology Uthentawai Campus, when he witnessed the teenager walking close to the institute’s fence…

  • Bangkok named one of the world’s worst cities for work-life balance

    Bangkok named one of the world’s worst cities for work-life balance

    Bangkok is just barely above the bottom of a list of 100 cities across the globe ranked for their work-life balance. Thailand’s capital came in at 96th place on the list. The 4 cities in the world with a worse work-life balance than Bangkok are Sao Paolo, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, and Cape Town. On the flipside, the cities with the…

  • Bangkok police arrest 6 Taiwanese nationals for crypto fraud

    Bangkok police arrest 6 Taiwanese nationals for crypto fraud

    Police in Bangkok have arrested 6 Taiwanese men following a raid on a house in the Prawet district of the capital. The men are accused of conning over 500 people, mostly fellow Taiwanese or Chinese nationals, through fraudulent online cryptocurrency investment schemes. According to a Bangkok Post report, the arrests happened when officers from the Police Cyber Taskforce, accompanied by…

  • ONESIAM skywalk features Universal Design concept to enhance convenience and accessibility

    ONESIAM skywalk features Universal Design concept to enhance convenience and accessibility

    Press Release The ONESIAM elevated skywalk connecting to the Pathumwan Intersection was designed with the concept of Universal Design to cater to the urban lifestyles of the elderly, the disabled, and the general public. Today, it has become an iconic landmark that enhances the positive image and reinforces the symbol of “Universal Design City” for the good quality of life…

  • Political activist tries to derail Chadchart’s Governor election victory

    Political activist tries to derail Chadchart’s Governor election victory

    A political activist is trying to derail Chadchart Sittipunt’s Bangkok Governor election victory. The 56 year old politician claimed a landslide victory in the first gubernational election held in the city since 2013, winning almost 52% of the vote. But, following a complaint by Srisuwan Janya, the Election Commission has postponed the endorsement of the election result until this afternoon…

  • Bangkok’s Bang Khun Tien district offers free sanitary pads to students

    Bangkok’s Bang Khun Tien district offers free sanitary pads to students

    The Bang Khun Tien District Office, near the mouth of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya river, has given away 20,000 sanitary pads to female students in 16 public schools, in line with the policies promised by the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittphun. Last Sunday, the Director of the Bang Khun Tien District Office, Pongjakarin Thawonpong, told the media that the district office…

  • Chadchart’s commitment to purging the metropolis of corruption

    Chadchart’s commitment to purging the metropolis of corruption

    Newly elected governor Chadchart Sittipunt revealed he plans to stamp out corruption as part of his flagship “Bangkok’s Nine Good” policy. Corruption in Thailand has been a national issue for decades. The kingdom is ranked 110th out of 180 countries evaluated in Transparency International‘s 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index. The index examines public sector corruption, countries whose public sectors are perceived to be…

  • Bangkok nightlife venues frustrated with June 1 re-opening rules

    Bangkok nightlife venues frustrated with June 1 re-opening rules

    The owners of bars, clubs, and other nightlife venues in Bangkok have expressed frustration with conditions governing the June 1 re-opening. From Wednesday, such businesses can re-open, provided they are located in the 31 blue or green zones, adhere to disease prevention measures, and close by midnight. It’s the midnight closure that most are finding frustrating, with several business owners…

  • Thailand’s annual silk fair in Bangkok helps with ‘soft power’ scheme

    Thailand’s annual silk fair in Bangkok helps with ‘soft power’ scheme

    The word ‘soft power’ has exploded into Thailand’s lexicon ever since young rapper ‘Milli’ promoted the country’s signature sticky rice and mango dish last month. In its soft power scheme, Thai authorities aim to promote the ‘5 Fs’ to the rest of the world. The 5 Fs are: food, films, fashion, fighting, and festivals. Now, Thai authorities say they will…

  • Governor to drain the swamp with Bangkok’s criminal fraternity

    Governor to drain the swamp with Bangkok’s criminal fraternity

    Chadchart Sittipunt made over 200 pledges prior to his landslide election victory last Sunday with the economy, environment, and health, high on his list of priorities. And when the Bangkok governor-elect vowed to clean up the metropolis, he wasn’t kidding. The 56 year old’s four-year term as governor began in earnest this week and, his agreement to use criminals to…

  • Taxi’s brakes fail causing 10 vehicle accident in Bangkok

    Taxi’s brakes fail causing 10 vehicle accident in Bangkok

    A taxi driver’s brakes failed as he pulled up to a queue of traffic at a red light in Bangkok earlier today, causing a crash involving 10 vehicles. Four people are injured including a motorbike driver who is in a critical condition. Today, May 26, Pol. Col. Jeerasak Boonyuennan from Phaya Thai Police Station received a report of an accident…

  • Thai PM Prayut questions Chadchart’s 200+ policies for Bangkok

    Thai PM Prayut questions Chadchart’s 200+ policies for Bangkok

    He’s only been elected for 3 days and the sniping has already started. Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has told Thai media that he is ready to work with the incoming Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt. But the PM says he’s curious how Chadchart will achieve the 200 policies he promoted during the election campaign. The PM said Chadchart would be “more powerful…

  • Former Thai PM issues death penalty warning to coup-makers

    Former Thai PM issues death penalty warning to coup-makers

    Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra last night fired a warning to the nation’s coup-makers that they could still face the death sentence in the future. Thaksin, who also turned his ire on current PM Prayut Chan-o-cha labelling him “a dictator” and someone “increasingly disconnected from reality,” says he hopes he will receive justice for the wrongs against him and punishment…

  • Former air force officer murders ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in Bangkok

    Former air force officer murders ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend in Bangkok

    A former Royal Thai Air Force officer murdered his ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend at a house in Ratchathewi district in Bangkok yesterday morning. The perpetrator broke into the couple’s home and shot dead 24 year old Fah and 25 year old Korakot before fleeing the house. Fah was shot twice in the head and body and Korakot was shot…

  • Thai nurse arrested for conning the public out of millions of baht in flu vaccine scam

    Thai nurse arrested for conning the public out of millions of baht in flu vaccine scam

    A Thai nurse has been arrested, accused of defrauding the public in a flu vaccine scam that netted millions of baht. According to media reports, 38-year-old Thonglim Jitpeng was arrested in the Bang Na district of Bangkok. She has denied the charges against her. According to reports, Thonglim ran a business selling hand sanitiser during the pandemic, which enabled her…

  • Bangkok governor-elect calls for calm and unity to get through the political storm

    Bangkok governor-elect calls for calm and unity to get through the political storm

    Chadchart Sittipunt has called for the citizens of Bangkok to put their differences to one side and come together in unity. The Bangkok governor-elect celebrated his 56th birthday yesterday with twin brother, Dr Chanchai Sittipunt, an associate professor and dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University, but still made time to send out a positive message amid squabbling…

  • Woman suffers burns as bus bursts into flames after brake failure

    Woman suffers burns as bus bursts into flames after brake failure

    A woman suffered burns to her arm as passengers fled a blazing bus outside a busy shoppin mall yesterday evening. The airconditioned and gas-fuelled bus caught fire in Nonthaburi, northwest of Bangkok, due to a failed brake system which lead to it overheating, according to the Bangkok Mass Transit Authority. Around 30 passengers fled the blaze but, unfortunately, one female…

  • Luxury Parliamentary Club open for Thai MPs with spa, karaoke and massage rooms

    Luxury Parliamentary Club open for Thai MPs with spa, karaoke and massage rooms

    The recently opened Parliament House of Thailand will have a new luxury Parliamentary Club for House of Representatives MPs and Senators to relax, with a spa, massage, karaoke room, fitness, gyms, ballroom dance and other recreation activities. Yesterday, the Chairman of the Senate committee to Organise Activities for Social Benefit and Recreational Activities of the Senate, Peerasak Porchit, took Thai…

  • Bryde’s whale found dead at Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian coast

    Bryde’s whale found dead at Bangkok’s Bang Khun Thian coast

    The death of bruised Bryde’s whale washed ashore at the Bang Khun Thian coast in Bangkok, near the mouth of the Chao Phraya river on Friday, still remains a mystery. Investigating officers spotted a bruise on the mammal’s belly but couldn’t conclude the cause of death. The owner of a nearby restaurant informed Thai media that local fishermen saw the…

  • Thai woman fined 54,000 baht at airport after entering country with designer brands

    Thai woman fined 54,000 baht at airport after entering country with designer brands

    A Thai woman has had an expensive lesson in Thai import duties after having had designer-brand clothing “challenged” at Suvarnabhumi Airport. She was fined 54,000 baht as she arrived at the airport from overseas when customs officials questioned her wearing expensive designer brands and travelling with luxury products in her luggage. The woman, now based in South Korea, was stopped…

  • Landslide victory for elected Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt

    Landslide victory for elected Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt

    Yesterday, Bangkok held its first governor election in eight years. Independent candidate Chadchart Sittipunt won the vote by a landslide, gaining almost 1.4 million votes, breaking the record for the highest number of votes ever in a Bangkok gubernatorial election. Of the 4.36 million people eligible to vote in the election, a total of 2,635,283 people voted yesterday, or 60.48%.…

  • Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok today until 6pm

    Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok today until 6pm

    There’s an alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok today. It will last until 6pm tonight. Alcohol sales will be banned in Pattaya and Bangkok due to the Pattaya mayoral election, and the Bangkok governor election. Polling for both is being held today. In Bangkok voting is across 50 districts where 31 candidates are vying for the position of Governor –…

  • Bangkok virologist says Thais should stay calm over monkeypox

    Bangkok virologist says Thais should stay calm over monkeypox

    Amidst a recent global outbreak of monkeypox, which is usually only found in Africa, an acclaimed virologist at Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University is saying Thais should stay calm, or jai yen. Last week, a handful of European countries, the US and Australia, reported their first cases of monkeypox, a viral infection similar to smallpox. But the virologist, Dr. Yong Poovorowan, wrote…

  • Bangkok is off to the polls today to elect a new Governor

    Bangkok is off to the polls today to elect a new Governor

    4.4 million eligible Bangkokians head to the polls today to vote for a new Governor. Out of the 77 provincial electorates in Thailand, only Bangkok has an election for the top post. Mostly, the Governors are titular rather than political appointments and spend a lot of their time opening pre-schools and planting trees. The provincial governors are hand-picked by the…

  • Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok from 6pm Saturday

    Alcohol ban in Pattaya and Bangkok from 6pm Saturday

    We know you just can’t get enough of Thailand’s alcohol bans, so here’s another one coming up tonight for you in Pattaya and Bangkok! From 6pm tonight (Saturday) until 6pm tomorrow night, alcohol sales will be banned in Pattaya and Bangkok due to the Pattaya mayoral election, and the Bangkok governor election, both of which are tomorrow. Those who break…

  • UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on TV

    UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on TV

    UPDATE: Bangkok governor candidates answer Russell Crowe’s questions on Thai TV Russell Crowe’s pre-recorded questions for Bangkok governor candidates were streamed on Channel 7HD’s live programme “22 May: Deciding Bangkok’s Fate” this afternoon, prior to the election coming up this Sunday. Crowe asked the questions in English, and three Bangkok governor candidates answered in Thai. Each candidate was given 2…

  • Thai man injured in turbulence demands airline to take responsibility

    Thai man injured in turbulence demands airline to take responsibility

    A Thai man demands an airline to take responsibility for injuries that he said were caused by turbulence during a flight from Nakhon Si Thammarat to Bangkok yesterday evening. He said his lower back and coccyx were in “agony,” but when he expressed the wish to go to hospital, he was allegedly told to pay for the expenses himself. The…